the benefit of the client?

• The Socratic Method and Psychotherapy by Henry Stein, 4/18/96
  • RE: The Socratic Method and psychotherapy by Tsunehisa Namba, 4/23/96
    • Confronting Clients by Carmen Knowles, 4/28/96
      
      

Carmen,
You said, " I will not push a client beyond where he/she wants to be, even if it is to the benefit of this client."
I do not know about Canada, but down south, most State Board of Ethics might be willing to label this "fostering client dependence upon the counselor".
Saying that to you when we have no relationship or report built up, it will be quite easy for you to become quite defensive. If on the other hand, we had known each other for some time. Had been able to work through some difficulties together. And I had the type of relationship with you where you knew "I was on your side", you might likely take it in an entirely different vein.
I realize that you seem to very much want to take seriously the dictum of "do no harm", and it is quite admirable to see someone so sure and strong about their convictions. I have no doubt that you will work quite hard for your clients.
I am sure you intended the above statement to be part of the whole of your last message. Refering specificly to your reaction to the film you mentioned. And I am sure your statement would not imply you would take no action in such cases as having a child who wants to sit in the middle of a road, or a sexually abused child who does not want to tell because she may have to go to foster care, or a battered woman who does not want to leave her spouse or report the abuse, or a married client who is having affairs or any number of other situations which we as counselors have to deal with in our case loads.
Unfortunately, such global statements can sometimes be taken out of context and misinterpreted by others.

Sometimes, confronting the people we work with on a particular issue or idea may not be necessarily pleasant, for us or for them, yet, if we truely are to "do no harm", it becomes necessary. At that point, it is only a question of HOW we go about doing so.

• Confronting or not by Carmen Knowles, 8/7/96